I Was Reincarnated As The Older Brother Of A Villainess Destined to Die, So I Want To Change The Future By Raising My Younger Sister With My Own Hands. I Am The Strongest In The World, But My Little Sister Must Be The Cutest In The World - Volume 3 Chapter 6.13

Time: Somewhere between “The Distorted World” and “Six Years Later”

I am Noma, an earth spirit. As the first spirit to venture into the culinary arts, I strive for improvement every day.

Initially, I learned human cuisine by observing a village on the outskirts. However, by a twist of fate, I ended up serving an extraordinary individual.

The circumstances of our meeting were less than ideal, and the working conditions during the first year of our contract were terrible. However, I am generally satisfied with where I am now.

What brings me the greatest joy is the improved learning environment. As my master is a noble, they employ top-tier chefs. This means that I have the opportunity to learn from the very best. Although the ingredients and the magic involved differ, I can apply various techniques to my own cooking.

And so, today, I make my way to the dining hall. My day begins with observing the preparation of breakfast.

Despite the early hour, the kitchen bustled with activity. Every staff member present worked tirelessly to prepare meals for the master and their companions.

Since coming here, I’ve learned that preparation is crucial in cooking. Some dishes require prepping hours or even days in advance. The dedication humans have towards their cuisine is remarkable. As spirits, we can absorb the ambient magic in our surroundings instantly. The idea of spending days on preparation was inconceivable to us. Truly, the decision to learn among humans was the right one.

As I floated around the kitchen, I was unexpectedly met with the gaze of a particular individual.

“Oh, Noma-dono, are you here?” the head chef addressed me.

“I’m here, Chef-dono,” I replied.

This middle-aged man was the master of the kitchen.

Though he directed his gaze towards me, he didn’t pause in his movements with the frying pan. It was a matter of pride for chefs to continue their work even when I appeared. I had conveyed that message to him previously—never stop your hands, no matter my presence.

“No need to greet. Humans hardly have the ability to perceive spirits like me. To be able to play it cool like this, you’re quite exceptional,” Noma said.

Since he didn’t wear the ‘Magic Sight Glasses,’ he couldn’t visually perceive my presence. Yet, he somehow sensed my existence, likely due to his natural talent. Occasionally, among humans, there are those who can detect the movements of magic.

However, for the most part, humans have limitations when it comes to perceiving spirits. Due to their inherent nature, they cannot directly perceive magic. Therefore, the head chef had no reason to worry.

In fact, it’s the master and the siblings who use abilities like “Magic Sight” to visually perceive us spirits that are odd. Even the elves, known for their exceptional magic affinity, can only vaguely sense “magic is around this area.” Moreover, lately, the master seems to be able to discern magic even more accurately than me. I think they have surpassed the boundaries of ordinary humans.

Well, that’s enough about the master. Let’s focus on the conversation with the head chef.

“What kind of breakfast are we preparing today?” I asked the head chef.

He nodded and replied, “Ah, indeed.”

He was stir-frying a large quantity of white grains that I didn’t recognize.

“This is a grain called rice. It has recently been introduced from the city-state federation. You know, thanks to that plan, our market has expanded, right?” the head chef explained.

“I see. With the market expanding, it means we’ll have more opportunities to encounter new ingredients. That’s wonderful,” I replied.

“Yes, indeed. I feel honored to be able to cook with new ingredients,” the head chef said with enthusiasm. He genuinely enjoyed the art of cooking. That’s why I felt comfortable seeking guidance from him.

However, a question arose in my mind.

“Is it alright to serve unfamiliar ingredients directly on the master’s table? Or have you already conducted some trials?” I asked, feeling that there might still be some verification needed.

In response, he gave a peculiar answer.

“Well, Zexus-sama took a great liking to rice. Along with some cooking instructions, he specifically requested it to be prepared,” the head chef replied.

“Cooking instructions too? But rice has only recently been introduced, right?” I inquired.

“Yes, that’s true,” he replied.

How did the master learn about the cooking methods for ingredients that weren’t recognized in the surrounding area? Could it be that they had visited the hometown of rice using the ‘Phase-Link Gate’ in the past? No, if that were the case, they should have brought back rice itself as well, since they liked it.

The master’s actions remained mysterious. I knew that person was beyond the realm of common sense, but witnessing their inexplicability firsthand left me perplexed. The head chef seemed to share the same sentiment, as he smiled wryly.

“What are you preparing this time?” I asked, refocusing my attention and inquiring about the rice dish.

The head chef kindly answered while demonstrating the process. And thus, I was able to accumulate a wealth of knowledge once again today.

My days aren’t solely devoted to cooking. Well, that’s a lie. I apologize. When I’m engaged in research within the master’s “Phase Concealment Cover Texture,” I can end up secluding myself for several days. However, today I’m properly out and about, so no seclusion for me!

Because of our contract, I need to provide something beneficial to the master in return. I don’t want to be in a position where I’m solely exploiting them without any agreement, so I work diligently.

While ordinary spirits typically serve as protectors through spirit magic, it’s entirely unnecessary in the case of the master. So, my main tasks involve performing tasks that can only be done with spirit magic and educating the earth magic.

This time it was the latter, with Orca and Nina as participants. Both of them, especially Orca, possess magical talent surpassing that of an average elf. It was truly rewarding to instruct them.

Although I, as a spirit, don’t understand human magic, I can provide some feedback on things like mana manipulation and magic intensity. And then there’s mock battles. Thanks to their “Magic Vision,” they don’t require the former. Consequently, we engaged in mock battles.

“Nice to meet you!” they greeted cheerfully.

“Don’t hold back, come at me,” I calmly replied.

Faced with their lively greetings, I responded leisurely.

A fight against the two of them. It might become challenging soon for Shion, but with Caron, Orca, Nina, and Minerva, I could handle multiple opponents. However, they’re gradually getting stronger, and I wonder how long this advantage will last. The speed of human growth is astonishing.

Well, for today, there are no problems. There were some close calls, but I managed to secure victory against the two.

“Haa, haa… We were so close,” Orca gasped for breath while lying on the ground.

“…” Nina remained silent.

Both Orca and Nina lay on the ground, catching their breath, visibly disappointed. If their spirits don’t break, they’ll continue to grow stronger.

After providing them with some advice, the training came to an end. However, Orca suggested that it would be dull to disperse immediately, so we decided to engage in a brief chat.

“So, um…” Orca began.

“Yes?” I replied.

“In situations like these…”

“I see.”

During our casual conversation, it became clear that these two have completely opposite personalities. Orca is friendly to everyone, talkative, and cheerful. Nina, on the other hand, is reserved and always calm, speaking fewer words.

However, when it comes to battles, these two become almost identical. They’ll employ any means necessary to secure victory. They possess such a voracious and pragmatic perspective.

Honestly, their strength is so impressive that it makes me doubt if they’re really just children. Are all noble sons and daughters the same? Well, Caron is more impulsive, so maybe there are individual differences.

“By the way,” I interjected, recalling a topic related to nobility.

Seizing the opportunity to change the subject, I spoke up.

“Do you have a fiancé, Orca?”

The master has Minerva. Although temporary, Caron also had one. I understood that nobles typically have fiancés, so I was curious why there was no such talk about Orca. In response, Orca gave a wry smile.

“I asked not to have one,” he said.

“Why?” I asked.

“The Byakudai family has always had love marriages for generations. My older brother, Kaiser, is the same. So, I wanted to follow that tradition,” Orca explained.

“It’s nice that they listened to you,” Nina expressed genuine curiosity, perhaps due to her own noble background.

Orca let out a dry laugh.

“I understand that I’m asking for something unreasonable. Unlike the Byakudai family, the Foranada family is just an earl’s household. If I don’t have a fiancé, my reputation will suffer. But I really wanted to walk the same path as my father and the others. Since the Byakudai family doesn’t exist anymore, I thought, ‘At least this much.’”

Orca, too, seems to carry various burdens. Although I don’t fully understand human society, I know that it can be complex. Marriage seems to be one thing he can’t compromise on.

“That’s fine, isn’t it? I don’t understand the concept of forming pairs, but I think it’s good to have something you can’t give up. I can’t give up cooking either,” I reassured.

“Yeah. I’m glad you say that,” Orca smiled, a different kind of smile than before, free of clouds. Did my words provide encouragement? I’m glad.

…I’ve also become much more open-minded. It’s hard to believe that the me from a year ago would be chatting and getting along with humans like this.

Spirits are beings that live for a long time. Drifting through the world with an unchanging appearance. However, perhaps they are not truly immutable. Spirits like me, if I can grow alongside humans, it would bring me great joy.

These mundane days, they are indeed changing me.